Waste disposal system, and method of its use

ABSTRACT

A side-opening sleeve valve having an inner cylindrical barrel with a shaped opening through the wall, an outer cylindrical barrel having shaped opening through the wall, where the barrels are co-annular and rotatable, and a means for rotating the inner barrel relative to the outer barrel between a first open position where the shaped openings overlap to form a side opening into the sleeve valve, and a second closed position where the shaped openings do not overlap. A side-opening valve is used in pigging fluid flush system for a water-less toilet, where a toilet bowl empties into the side opening of the side-opening valve when opened. When the side-opening valve is closed, a pig cleaning system pushes the waste in the side-opening valve to a sewage system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/207,726, filed on Jul. 12, 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application 62/180,341 filed Jun. 16, 2015, the disclosuresof which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A common cleaning system used in the chemical industries is a pigcleaning system, also called a pigging system. “Pigging” involvespushing a solid or liquid through a section of piping with a “pig,” orplug, which is typically made of some sort of rubber, plastic, or foam,and that fits snugly inside the piping. The pushing of the pig inside ofthe piping is provided by a pressurized fluid, which may be a gas orliquid. The pig has a cylindrical shape, at least at a front portion anda rear portion thereof, in order to pass through similarly-shaped pipingwith the outer walls of the pig in close proximity or in contact withthe inside surface of the walls of the piping.

Pigs are used in lube oil or paint blending to clean the pipes to avoidcross-contamination, and to empty the pipes into the product tanks (orsometimes to send a component back to its tank). Usually pigging is doneat the beginning and at the end of each batch, but sometimes it is donein the midst of a batch, such as when producing a premix that will beused as an intermediate component.

The pigging system is frequently used for cleaning out the chemicalproduct or contaminants in a manufacturing supply or product piping.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a waterless, self-cleaning toilet systemthat includes a side-opening valve to isolate the bowl of a toilet froma waste discharge piping. A side-opening valve includes a pipe sectionhaving a side opening through which passes waste from the toilet, and ameans for selectively closing and sealing the side opening.

The present invention provides a side-opening valve, including a sleevevalve, as described herein.

A side-opening sleeve valve includes two lengths of co-annularcylindrical barrels. An inner barrel is rotatably disposed within anouter barrel. Each of the inner barrel and the outer barrel have acylindrical sidewall having a shaped opening, and a central axis. Theshaped opening can be rectangular, circular, oval, or other shape. Foreither or both shaped openings, an axial length of the shaped opening isparallel with the central axis, and the arc length of the shaped openingextends typically less than 180 degrees, including about 150 degrees orless, and about 90 degrees or less, of the circumference of thecylindrical barrel. The shaped opening in the inner barrel can bealigned with the shaped opening in the outer barrel in a first rotatedposition, to provide a side opening or port into the sleeve valve. Asthe inner barrel is rotated relative to the outer barrel, or vice versa,the shaped openings of the inner barrel and the outer barrel move out ofalignment and their overlap diminishes until the inner barrel has beenrotated to a second position in which the openings do not overlap,effectively closing off the side opening of the sleeve valve.

Each barrel sidewall also has an inside surface and an outside surface,and an inlet open end and an outlet open end. An axial pathway passesthrough the sleeve valve between the inlet open end and the outlet openend of the inner barrel.

In a first embodiment, the inlet end of the outer barrel is connected influid communication to an upstream pipe. Similarly, the outlet end ofthe outer barrel is connected in fluid communication to a downstreampipe. The outer barrel is fixed and non-rotatable, to provide astationary surface upon which the toilet bowl can be mounted. An annularseal layer can be disposed between the outside surface of the innerbarrel and the inside surface of the outer barrel, at both the inletends and the outlet ends, to fluidly isolate the outside surface of theinner barrel. A sleeve seal layer can be provided between the innerbarrel and the outer barrel at least along the periphery of the sidevalve opening. The sleeve seal layer can includes a cylindrical sheetthat has an opening that registers with the opening of the outer barrel.The sleeve seal layer can be secured to either the outside surface ofthe inner barrel, or the inside surface of the outer barrel. The sleeveseal layer seals the space between the inner and outer barrels at theperiphery of the side valve opening, effectively sealing the sleevevalve so that the objects, materials and liquids within the valve volumecan pass through the inner barrel of the sleeve valve without leakage.

In a second embodiment, the inlet end of the inner barrel is connectedrotatably and sealingly in fluid communication to an upstream pipe.Similarly, the outlet end of the inner barrel is connected rotatably andsealingly in fluid communication to a downstream pipe. The outer barrelis fixed and non-rotatable, to provide a stationary surface upon whichthe toilet bowl can be mounted. An annular seal layer can be disposedbetween the inlet end of the inner barrel and the upstream pipe, andbetween the outlet end of the inner barrel and the downstream pipe, tofluidly isolate the outside surface of the inner barrel. In the firstrotated position, objects can pass from an outside space through the twoaligned openings forming the side valve opening, and into the volumewithin the inner barrel. When the inner barrel is rotated to the secondrotated position, the object within the volume is isolated from thespace outside the outer barrel.

In another embodiment, the inlet and outlet ends of the outer barrel areconnected in fluid communication to an upstream pipe and downstreampipe, respectively, and the inner barrel moves axially within the outerbarrel, whereby in a first axial position of the inner barrel, theshaped opening in the inner barrel aligns with the shaped opening in theouter barrel to provide a side opening or port in the sleeve valve, andin a second axial position of the inner barrel, the shaped opening inthe inner barrel is out of alignment and does not overlap with theshaped opening in the outer barrel, closing off the side opening of thesleeve valve.

The present invention also provides a waste disposal system for a toiletthat is self-cleaning, uses no or very little water, and is extremelylow odor. In one embodiment, the waste disposal system includes aside-opening valve. Once the waste has been deposited into the openingin the side-opening, and the side-opening valve is closed to isolate thewaste within the closed side-opening valve, a cleaning system dischargesthe waste to a municipal sewer system or to a septic system. Thecleaning system is based on pig cleaning technology, which clears thewaste within the piping using a pipe pig. A pipe pig is a cylindricalplug that fits very tightly inside of a cylindrical pipe and is pushedor pulled by a pumped or pressurized pigging fluid on one side of thepipe pig, to push and move a material on the other side of the pipe pigthrough the pipes. A pipe pig can be made of a variety of materials andstyles, though it is commonly made of rubber, plastic or foam rubber.Such systems are commercially available from multiple companiesincluding Girard Industries (Houston, Tex.) and G.A. Kiesel GmbH.Pigging is used to push a solid or liquid waste through a section ofpiping, by pushing the pig through the inside of the piping with apigging fluid, which can include a gas or liquid. The pig has acylindrical, peripheral shape, at least at a front face and a rear face,in order to pass through circular piping with the outer walls of the pigin close proximity or in contact with the inside walls of the piping.The front face of the pig serves as a piston to push the waste ahead ofthe pig. The pig isolates the pigging fluid from the waste, avoidingdirect and intimate contact between the pigging fluid and the waste. Thepigging fluid can be pumped or pressurized to force the pig under fluidpressure upward, against gravity, so that the system can operate in anylocation at any elevation. Waste can be pushed with the pigging systemup to elevations to reach a toilet where a sufficient supply of flushwater may be unavailable for a conventional toilet. In addition, the pigcleaning system can push a waste uphill under pressure, to any access toa sewer, which permits a water-less toilet of the invention to be placedin a subfloor or basement of a building or other low elevation where aconventional flush toilet otherwise cannot operate because the toiletlocation is below the elevation of an access to a sewer system and theflush water cannot flow uphill against gravity.

The waste disposal system, employing the side-opening valve, reducessignificantly or eliminates the amount of water needed to operate thetoilet in a convenient and sanitary way. Typically the water usagereduction is at least 90%, and more typically at least 95%. Theside-opening valve receives a waste material deposited within the bowland falling down through the opening and into the side-opening valve.When the side-opening valve is moved to a closed position, the bowl ofthe toilet is isolated from the interior of the side-opening valve andfrom the discharge piping. The only amount of water necessary is forspraying down and cleaning the inside of the bowl after use, which runsinto the interior of the side-opening valve before the side-openingvalve is closed. In a non-limiting example, a toilet spray ring can bemounted at the top and inside of the toilet bowl and a series of spraynozzles can be configured to use 8-12 ounces of water under pressure tospray clean the sides and/or bottom of the bowl after each use. Thecleaning water can be reused water that is captured shower or laundrywater, and repurposed for toilet bowl cleaning. The system can thus benet waterless.

The receptacle for the waste material can include a toilet bowl orequivalent structure to facilitate the process of depositing wastematerial into the waste disposal system.

The means for integrating the waste receptacle (toilet) with, andselectively isolating it from, the cleaning system can alternativelyinclude a closable valve disposed in a section of piping between thetoilet and a waste-receiving section of piping in the cleaning system.Examples of a closable valve is a ball valve or a sliding plate over anopening.

The present invention also provides a method for discharging wastematerial from a toilet to a sewer system that involves the use of littleor no water, the method comprising a flush cycle, the flush cycleincluding: a) providing a toilet having no pool of water in the bowl,with an opening in the bottom of the bowl that opens into a selectableclosable side opening of a side-opening valve; b) closing selectivelythe side opening of a side-opening valve after waste material that hasbeen depositing into the bowl has passed though the closable sideopening and into the side-opening valve; c) providing a pig cleaningsystem that includes a pressurized fluid system including a source ofpressurized fluid, a supply piping in fluid communication with anupstream end of the side-opening valve, a pig disposed in the supplypiping, and discharge piping in fluid communication with a downstreamend of the side-opening valve that discharges to a sewer system; d)activating the pig cleaning system to pass pressurized fluid into thesupply piping at a position upstream of the pig, to push with thepressurized fluid the pig in the upstream end of the side-opening valve,into the side-opening valve, and out the downstream end of theside-opening valve, and through the discharge piping, to push the wastematerial out of the side-opening valve and into the sewer system, andstopping the pushing of the pig; and e) reversing the pig cleaningsystem to withdraw fluid from the supply piping, with the stopped pig influid communication with the supply piping, to pull the pig back throughthe discharge piping, through the side-opening valve, and to an upstreamposition of the pig from the side-opening valve; and optionally f)opening selectively the side opening of a side-opening valve; therebydischarging waste material from the toilet to the sewer system whileusing little or no water. The side-opening valve can be a sleeve valve.

An aspect of the invention includes the closing of the side opening ofthe side-opening valve as a direct response to the closing of a lid ofthe toilet after the depositing of the waste material. An aspect canalso include the activating of the pig cleaning system by the closing ofthe lid of the toilet, or by a selectable switch.

A further aspect of the invention is a venting of the opening in thebowl of the toilet by drawing air through the discharge piping. Anotheraspect of the invention includes venting the discharge piping to air ata position downstream of the stopped pig.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a side-opening sleeve valve of thepresent invention in a side-opened position.

FIG. 2 shows an axial sectional view the side-opened sleeve valve takenthrough line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the side-opened sleeve valvetaken through line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows the side-opening sleeve valve of FIG. 1 in a side-closedposition.

FIG. 5 shows an axial sectional view the side-closed sleeve valve takenthrough line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the side-closed sleeve valvetaken through line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of a side-opening sleeve valve ina side-opened position.

FIG. 8 shows the side-opening sleeve valve of FIG. 7 in a side-closedposition.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of a side-openingsleeve valve of the present invention, in a side-opened position.

FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the sleeve valve of FIG. 9 inthe side-opened position, taken through line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 shows the side-opening sleeve valve of FIG. 9 in a side-closedposition.

FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of the sleeve valve of FIG. 11 inthe side-closed position, taken through line 12-12 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of a side-opening valve of the presentinvention, in a side-opened position.

FIG. 14 shows a lateral cross-sectional view of the side-openedside-opening valve taken through line 14-14 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 shows an axial sectional view the side-opened side-opening valvetaken through line 15-15 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 shows the side-opening valve of FIG. 15 in a side-closedposition.

FIG. 17 shows a schematic of a toilet including a side-opening sleevevalve, and a waste management system that employs a pig cleaning system,in an initial state.

FIG. 18 shows toilet and waste management system in a further state inwhich a waste material has been deposited into the side-opened sleevevalve.

FIG. 19 shows toilet and waste management system in a further state inwhich the opening in the sleeve valve has been closed, and the piggingsystem has been activated, pushing the waste material with the pig outof the sleeve valve, through the piping system, and into the sewersystem.

FIG. 20 shows toilet and waste management system in a further state inwhich the pigging system has been reversed, pulling the pig back to itsinitial position.

FIG. 21 is a detailed view of a portion of the terminal section of thepiping shown in FIG. 19.

FIG. 22 illustrates a toilet bowl having an open lower end that ismounted onto the sleeve valve.

FIG. 23 shows a further embodiment of a side-opening valve having awaste-receiving piping section having a side port with an opening, andan axially-sliding plate that sealably closes the opening.

FIG. 24 shows an alternative embodiment that replaces the sleeve valvewith a side-opening valve that consists of a conventional “T”-typewaste-receiving piping section and a flow valve to connect the toilet tothe “T”-type piping section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1-3 show a first embodiment of a side-opening valve, as a sleevevalve 1 that includes two lengths of co-annular cylindrical pipe. Aninner pipe defines an inner barrel 3 that is rotatably disposed withinan outer pipe that defines an outer barrel 13. The larger diameter outerbarrel 13 is longer than the smaller diameter inner barrel 3. A standardplumbing coupling receptacle, illustrated as a flange 48 can be securedat inlet and outlet ends 18 and 19, respectively, of the outer barrel 13to an external piping assembly. An inner shoulder 47 of each flangeretains the smaller inner barrel 3 in its axial location along thelength of the larger outer barrel, and is sealed fluidly to the endedges 8,9 of the inner barrel 3 with o-ring seals 49.

The inner barrel 3 has a cylindrical sidewall 4 having a shaped opening5, and a central axis 100, and the outer barrel 13 has a cylindricalsidewall 14 having a shaped opening 15, and a central axis 200. Innerbarrel sidewall 4 has an inside surface 6 and an outside surface 7, andan inlet open end 8 and an outlet open end 9, including an axial pathway10 through the inner barrel 3 of sleeve valve 1. An axial length 5 a ofthe opening 5 is parallel with the central axis 100, and the arc length5 b of the shaped openings 5 extends typically less than 90 degrees of acircumference of the inner barrel 3. Similarly in the outer barrel 13,an axial length 15 a of the opening 15 is parallel with the central axis200, and an arc length 15 b of the shaped opening 15 extends typicallyless than 90 degrees of a circumference of the outer barrel 13. The sizeof the openings 5,15 can be longer, or narrower, along the axis of thevalve, or wider around the circumference of the valve. The side openingenables a much larger entry opening since a standard “T” pipe has anopening size limited to the inlet pipe diameter. A wider opening aroundthe circumference requires greater relative rotation of the outer barrel13 and the inner barrel 3 to adequately seal the side valve opening 12.

FIG. 1 shows the sleeve valve 1 in a first rotated position with theshaped opening 5 in the inner barrel 3 aligned with the shaped opening15 in the outer barrel 13, to form a side valve opening or port 12 as apassage from the outside space 2 into the inner volume 22 of the innerbarrel 3. As the inner barrel 3 is rotated, the shaped openings 5 and 15of the respective inner barrel 3 and the outer barrel 13 move out ofalignment and diminishes the overlap as, the inner barrel 3 rotates to asecond rotated position in which the openings 5,15 do not overlap, andthe valve port is closed, shown in FIGS. 4-6.

An annular seal 44 can be disposed at both the inlet ends 8, 18 and theoutlet ends 9,19, between the outside surface 7 of the inner barrel 3and the inside surface 16 of the outer barrel 13, to fluidly isolate theoutside surface of the inner barrel 3 inboard of the seal 44 from theinner space 22. The annular seal 44, shown as an o-ring disposed withina groove 45 in the outside surface 7 of the inner barrel, with theo-ring sealing against the inside surface 16 of the outer barrel 13.Alternatively, the annular seal o-ring can be disposed within a groovein the inner surface of the outer barrel, with the o-ring sealingagainst the outside surface of the inner barrel.

A sleeve seal layer 30 is provided between the inner barrel 3 and theouter barrel 13 at least along the periphery of the side valve opening12. The sleeve seal layer includes a sheet material that has an opening35 that registers with the opening 15 of the outer barrel 13. The sleeveseal layer 30 extends axially beyond the arc length edge 5 b of theinner barrel 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the sleeve seal layer 30is disposed within a wide, annular groove 21 formed into the insidesurface 16 of the outer barrel 13 and overlapping the opening 15, andthe sleeve seal layer is a cylinder having the opening 35 that registerswith the outer sleeve opening 15. Typically, the planarity of the sleeveseal layer 30 is uniform, and the thickness is slightly more than thedepth of the annular groove 21, in order to frictionally seal againstthe outside surface 7 of the inner barrel 3.

In the first rotated position shown in FIG. 1, objects (as anon-limiting example, waste) can pass from the outside space 2 throughthe side valve opening 12 formed by the two aligned openings 5,15, andinto the inner volume 22 within the inner barrel 3. Rotating the innerbarrel 3 to the second rotated position, shown in FIG. 4, closes thesleeve valve port 12, thereby isolating the objects within the volume 22from the space 2 outside the outer barrel 13. FIGS. 1 and 4 illustrate ameans for rotating the inner barrel 3 within the outer barrel 13. Theouter barrel 13 has a widened slot 23 extending about 90 degrees alongand through the circumference of the sidewall 14. A post 25 extends fromthe outside surface 7 of the inner barrel 3, and through the widenedslot 23 in, and beyond the outer surface 17 of, the outer barrel 13.Dragging or pushing by force F the post 25 along the slot 23 rotates theinner barrel 3 between the first rotated position (FIG. 1) and thesecond rotated position (FIG. 4). The actuation of the post 25 can beaccomplished either manually or mechanically, for example, with asolenoid actuator. In the illustrated embodiment, the slot 23 and post25 are positioned between the seal 44 and the sleeve seal layer 30 toavoid fluid communication and leakage through the slot 23.

The components of the sleeve valve 1 can be constructed of any materialcommonly used in valve manufacture including plastics, includingpolyvinyl chloride (PVC) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS),porcelain, ceramic, and metals and alloys thereof, including aluminum,copper, brass, iron, steel, stainless steel, and other alloy, asdetermined by the application for corrosion, pressure, temperature, andother concerns.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6, the inlet end 18 of the outerbarrel 13 includes a means for connecting the outer barrel 13 in fluidcommunication to an upstream pipe 41, illustrated as a flange 48.Similarly, the outlet end 19 of the outer barrel 13 includes a means forconnecting the outer barrel 13 in fluid communication to a downstreampipe 43, illustrated as a flange 48. The means for connecting the outerbarrel 13 can also be provided by a threaded connection, or similar orequivalent connection.

In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 7-8, a sleeve valve 101 has theinlet end 118 of the inner barrel 103 is connected rotatably andsealingly in fluid communication to the upstream pipe 41. Similarly, theoutlet end 119 of the inner barrel 103 is connected rotatably andsealingly in fluid communication to a downstream pipe 43.

FIGS. 9-12 show another embodiment of a sleeve valve 201. The sleevevalve 201 has an outer barrel 213 having an inlet end 218 and an outletend 219 connected in fluid communication to an upstream pipe 41 anddownstream pipe 43, respectively, and an inner barrel 203 that movesaxially within an annular groove 233 formed into the inner surface 216of the outer barrel 213 along axis 100. In a first axial position shownin FIGS. 9 and 10, the shaped opening 5 in the inner barrel 203 can bealigned axially with the shaped opening 15 in the outer barrel 213, toprovide a side opening 12. In a second axial position shown in FIGS. 11and 12, the shaped opening 5 in the inner barrel 203 is out of alignmentand does not overlap with the shaped opening 15 in the outer barrel 213,effectively closing off the side opening of the sleeve valve 201.

FIGS. 13-16 show another embodiment of a side-opening valve 301. Theside-opening valve 301 has a single outer barrel 313 having an inlet end318 connected in fluid communication to an upstream pipe 41 and anoutlet end 319 connected in fluid communication to a downstream pipe 43.The outer barrel 313 has a side opening 312 parallel to the long axis100 of the barrel 313. Vertical parallel sidewalls including a pair ofsidewalls 321 and a pair of end walls 322 and 324 form a cylinder sideentry port 320 that extends from the entire perimeter of the sideopening 312 of the barrel 313 having an outer opening 325 parallel withthe long axis 100 of the outer barrel 313. The side entry port 320 canbe mechanically and sealingly attached to the outer barrel 313, and isillustrated manufactured as a single unit with the outer barrel 313,requiring no connecting seams. The side entry port 320 can include anentry flange 326 that lies in a plane disposed in parallel with atangent to the barrel 313, to provide a flat and stationary surface uponwhich a toilet bowl can be mounted. The side entry port 320 has alateral opening 327 forming in the end wall 324 to allow entry andmovement of a sliding plate valve 330. The opposed sidewalls 322 eachhave a lateral groove 328 formed along the upper inside surface, toprovide channels that retain the lateral side edges 334 of the plate 332as the plate 332 slides axially along the grooves 328. An end groove 329is also formed in the end wall 322. The lateral grooves 328 also extendthrough the end wall 324, adjacent the lateral opening 327, to allow theplate 332 to slide between a first position, shown in FIG. 15, withdrawnaway from the opening 321 of the port 320, and a second position, shownin FIG. 16, covering the opening 321 of the port 320, with the end edges336 disposed within the end groove 329. A seal 338 can be formed betweenthe grooves 328 and 329 and the lateral and end edges 334,336 of theplate 332, and between the plate 332 and the lateral opening 327 formedin the end wall 324, to prevent leakage of fluid around the plate 332 inits closed, second position. The sliding plate valve 330 includes aplanar body 332 having a lateral width between lateral side edges 334that is configured to register within the side grooves 328 in theopposed sidewalls 321, and a longitudinal length sufficient to cover theopening 321 in the upper end of the side entry port 320 in the closedposition shown in FIG. 16. A shaft 336 or other handle or fitment can beactuated under force F, manually or by a mechanical orelectro-mechanical actuator shown in FIG. 23 as actuator 340, and wellknown to persons skilled in the art, and which can include withoutlimitation a servo motor, or a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator, and asolenoid actuator, to slide axially the plate 332 under the force Fbetween with first and second positions. Typically the length of theplate 332 is longer than the length of the opening 321 such that theplate 332 in the closed position shown in FIG. 16 also extends throughthe end wall 324, and typically at least twice as long as its lateralwidth. The upper portion of the end wall 324 is elongated axially toextend the length groove 328 within the end wall 324 for stability andof the plate 332.

FIG. 17 shows a waste management system 50 according to the presentinvention that employs a side-opening valve, illustrated as the sleevevalve 1 described above. The waste management system includes a toiletbowl 40 having a lid 140, that receives wastes W, and having an openlower end 42 that is configured to mount onto the sleeve valve 1 withthe lower end 42 aligned with the opening in the outer wall 13 of thesleeve valve 1, as shown in FIG. 22. Though not illustrated, the bottomopening 42 of the toilet bowl 40 can have the same shape as the sidevalve opening of the sleeve valve 1, or a different shape, configuredfor leak-proof attachment to the sleeve valve 1.

The waste management system 50 uses a pig cleaning system. Once thewaste has been isolated within the closed sleeve valve 1, the wastemanagement system 50 discharges the waste to a sewer system or to aseptic system.

The waste management system 50 includes a pigging fluid pumping assembly60, and a venting system 70, and a power and control system 90. In thefollowing description, the pigging fluid is typically a flowable liquid.In an alternative embodiment, the pigging fluid is a compressible gasthat can include air.

A pig 80 can consist of a cylindrical plug in order to pass throughcircular piping, with the outer walls of the pig 80 in contact with theinside walls of the piping. Pipe pigs are made of a variety of materialsand styles, though are most commonly made of rubber, plastic or foamrubber.

A fluid container 52 is sized sufficiently to hold all of a piggingliquid L of the system, and can include a vent 54 to compensate forchanges in the fluid level, and an inlet/outlet port 56 for emptying,draining and filling the fluid container 52. An optional filtrationsystem 58 can be included which circulates the fluid from the fluidcontainer 52 through a filtering media to remove any waste or debristhat the fluid might pick up when working through the piping assemblyand enables constant re-use of the pigging liquid.

The pigging liquid L can be water or other aqueous solution, or an oilor other hydrophobic or water-immiscible liquid, which is pumped to pushand pull the pipe pig through the piping. The pigging liquid can includea water-immiscible oil, including a vegetable oil, which canspontaneously separate from water and other water soluble wastematerial. Practically any liquid can be used as the pigging fluid,provided it is non-flammable and non-corrosive, and suitable for a broadrange of ambient temperatures.

The fluid pumping system 60 includes a fluid pump 62 that pumps thepigging fluid under pressure into the piping system behind, or upstreamof, the pig 80. The pump 62 can be a positive displacement piston orgear pump, a centrifugal pump, or other suitable pumping means. The pumpshould also be a reversible pump that can pump from the piping assemblyback into the fluid container 52. Alternatively, the suction anddischarge piping arrangement of the pump can be configured to send thepigging fluid either from or into the fluid container.

The piping system typically includes lengths of smooth-bore transferpiping 64 that can withstand working pressures that might be experiencedbehind the pig 80. The transfer piping is sized uniformly to thediameter needed for smoothly and consistently driving the pig 80 throughthe piping assembly. The transfer piping can be standard plumbingpiping, including PVC, ABS, metal, aluminum, copper, brass, iron andother plastic, metal or ceramic material, provided it meets criteria towithstand the working pressures. The piping system optionally includes apressure relief system 66 that will activate in the event of excessivefluid pressure in the piping assembly, and relieve back to the fluidcontainer. The elbows and other joints typically have longer radii toavoid binding the pig in the turns.

In the alternative embodiment, the pigging fluid can be a compressiblegas. A gas compressor or blower provides a supply of compressed gas, ora vacuum capacity, suitable for operating the pig cleaning system. Afluid container can comprise a pressurizable and/or vacuum-ratedcontainer sized and rated for pressure sufficiently to hold thecompressed gas, or vacuum, as required by the system. The compressed gassystem also provides vent piping, pressure relief valves, and anoptional filtration system as needed.

The piping system also includes a stop feature at the terminal end 68 ofthe piping assembly 60. In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIG. 21,the stop feature can be a short section of pipe 69 that has a smallerinternal diameter (ID) than the transfer piping 64, so that the pig 80cannot proceed further into the section of pipe 69. The pressure reliefsystem 66 can activate upon excessive fluid pressure in the pipingassembly exceeding a high pressure limit when the pig 80 dead-ends intothe smaller ID piping 69, to relieve and return the discharge from thepump 62 back to the fluid container 52. Preferably, the liquid L in thepigging system remains in fluid communication with the back end 82 ofthe pig 80, and the piping behind the pig 80 has no open passage orvent, ensuring withdrawal and return of the pig 80 when the direction ofliquid pumping in the system is reversed. In addition, the stop device69 is configured to cause the objects (for example, solid and liquidwaste (W) to be discharged into a segment S of the sewage system. Forexample, the sewage system can include a pipe or conduit into which thewaste is pushed, which causes the wastes to move by gravity into amunicipal sewage system or a septic system. A one-way flow valve, suchas a flapper valve or a swing check valve, can be installed at theterminal end 68 of the pipe assembly to prevent the waste W or any odorsfrom the sewage system from re-entering the piping assembly 60.

An alternative stop feature can comprise a stop sensor 86, also shown inFIGS. 19 and 21, that is configured to detect the presence of the pig 80inside the piping 64 at a flush termination position, and signals acontroller in the control system 90 to start or stop the pump 62, and tocontrol the direction of the pigging fluid flow in the flush cycle. Thepig 80 can include or contain a ferric metal material, a radio frequencydevice, a magnetic strip, or other media enabling a sensor positionoutside the sidewall of the piping to detect the pig inside the piping,especially at the three system locations including the flush initiationposition, the flush termination position, and a pig installation andremoval station (described hereinafter), as well as anywhere along thepiping system. The pig position sensor can be located along the pipingand positioned on or even inside or within the wall of the pipingsystem, including at a location where the piping pig should be stopped.The sensors detect the presence of the pig by any number of meansincluding radio frequency, magnetic media, or other forms of detection.

The piping system 64 also includes a return sensor 88 that detects thepresence of the pig 80 inside the piping 64 and is positioned upstreamof the sleeve valve 1 in a flush initiation position as shown in FIG.17. The return sensor 88 signals the controller in the control system 90to stop the pump 62 when the pig 80 has returned to its flush initiationposition. The flush initiation position can be just upstream andadjacent to the sleeve valve 1, as shown, or in another locationupstream from the sleeve valve, including within a pig installation andremoval station, described below.

The piping system 64 also includes the vent system 70, disposed at thedischarge end of the piping. The vent system 70 provides a means forventing the piping assembly, at or near the terminal end 68, to avoiddrawing back the waste W and vapors from the sewer system S through thepiping 64. Preferably, the vent system 70 uses a separate venting pipe72 with a vent valve 74. The vent valve 74 can be a controlled valvethat is moved between open and closed positions by the controller deviceof system 90. The vent valve 74 can be closed during operation of theflushing cycle, as described below, to prevent waste W from being pushedinto the vent system, and opened to allow fresh air downstream and aheadof the pig while withdrawing the pig to its starting position. As thepig is being drawn back to the flush initiation position, the vent valve74 is opened to avoid drawing a vacuum ahead of the pig 80, to preventthe pipe 64 from collapsing. In addition, the vent valve 74 can remainopen after the pig has been returned to its initial position and thesleeve valve 1 has been returned to the open position (FIG. 17), toplace the venting system into air flow communication with the toilet 40,to provide an exit for odors. Alternatively, the vent valve 74 can be aone-way flow valve, such as a flapper valve or a swing check valve,which autonomously allows air flow from the venting pipe 72 into thepiping system 60, but prevents fluid flow or waste from the pipingsystem 60 into the venting pipe 72.

The vent system 70 can also include a fan or blower 76, which drawsfresh air into the system 50 at the toilet 40, via the open sleeve valve1 and piping 64, to more effectively and efficiently eliminate malodorsin the toilet room, during and after use. The fan 76 is in fluidcommunication with the vent pipe, and can be activated when the user ofthe toilet begins use, in order to draw air and associated odors downthrough the open sleeve valve 1, and the piping 64 and out through thevent pipe of the venting system 70. The process draws a small amount ofair from the bathroom to the outside air through the sanitary waste pipeto eliminate odors associated with the use of the system. The air fan 76can be controlled to operate only when the person uses the toilet, suchas raising the seat or cover, and to shut off when the seat or cover isclosed, or when the sleeve valve 1 is closed.

An alternative embodiment of a waste management system is shown in FIG.23, in which a side-opening valve 301 has a waste-receiving pipingsection having a side port with a side opening, and an axially-slidingplate that sealably closes the side opening and isolates the interior ofthe waste-receiving piping section from the lower end of the toilet. Anexample of the side-opening valve 301 is described herein andillustrated in FIGS. 13-16, operated with an actuator 340.

Another alternative embodiment of a waste management system is shown inFIG. 24, in which the side-opening valve, shown as a sleeve valve 1 inthe earlier embodiment, is replaced with a waste valve including a pipesection having an inlet end, and an outlet end, and a side entry port,and a side entry valve connected to the side entry port. The pipesection can comprise a conventional “T”-type waste-receiving pipingsection 401 and a conventional fluid valve 405 communicating between thelower end 42 of the toilet 40 and a side-entry leg 404 of the “T”-typewaste-receiving piping section 401. The remaining two legs 402,403 ofthe “T”-type waste-receiving piping section 401 are connected withconventional plumbing fittings to the upstream 41 piping and downstream43 piping. The handle 406 of the conventional fluid valve 405 can beactuated manually or by a mechanical or electro-mechanical actuator, aswell known to persons skilled in the art, which can include withoutlimitation a servo motor, or a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator, and asolenoid actuator, to turn the valve between a closed position and anopen position.

The piping system also includes a pig installation and removal station78 (FIG. 17) that provides a means to access the inside of the pipingsystem to remove and install a pig as routine maintenance requires.

The piping system also includes the power and control systems 90. Poweris typically mains electrical power to drive the motor of the fluidpump, any venting fan, and to operate various valves and solenoids. Thecontrol system can include a main microprocessor, software andprogramming, low voltage power, and circuits and connections to thedevices and sensors in the system. An optional link to a network or thewww or cloud can also be provided for electronic diagnoses, maintenance,and remote monitoring and system control. The system can also include abattery for backup power in case of a mains power outage or otheremergency.

The toilet bowl 40 can also include a bowl cleaning system. Anembodiment of a bowl cleaning system is illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 22,which can include a manifold ring 142, mounted at the top and inside ofthe toilet bowl 40 and having a one or more spray nozzles 143. Thetoilet manifold ring 142 is positioned at the top of the inside of thebowl 40, and includes a series of nozzle elements or spray means,including a plurality of holes in the manifold ring 142, disposed alongthe annular ring. The one or more nozzles are configured to dispensewater or other aqueous solution onto the sidewalls and bottom of thebowl. After each use of the toilet, the system can spray 8-12 ounces ofwater under pressure through the series of nozzles to clean the toiletbowl 40. The waste management system can still be considered “waterless”because the cleaning water can be captured from shower water or laundrywater and re-purposed for the toilet bowl cleaning.

The water for the bowl cleaning system can be provided by a water reusesystem 141 that captures and pipes (144) repurposed water from otheruses (for example, but not restricted to, showers, laundry water,bathtub water, and sinks). The capture and repurposed water for cleaningthe toilet bowl can result in essentially zero fresh, potable waterusage for the toilets. In general, the toilet 40 does not require a poolof standing water in the bottom bowl 42 as is present in conventionaltoilets.

The power and control system 90 can use standard program logic control(PLC) functionality to ensure the electronic components of the systemoperate in the proper sequence, and to perform system safety checks toavoid damage or injury that may result from the system executing a nextstep. The PLC can be located anywhere in the system where it can bereasonably accessed for programming and maintenance purposes.

Flush Cycle:

A flush cycle starts in an initial position shown in FIG. 17 with thesleeve valve 1 in a closed position, and the pig 80 has been withdrawnto a section of piping upstream from the sleeve valve. A user of thetoilet 40 can raise a lid 140 which causes opening of the sleeve valve 1and can activate the vent fan 76. After a user has completed use of thetoilet, the waste W has fallen into the bowl 40 and down into the opensleeve valve 1. A bowl cleaning system can deliver the re-purposed waterfrom a water reuse system 141 (or fresh water) through spray nozzle(s)143, in an amount of 8-12 fluid ounces, thereby cleaning any waste onthe inside walls of the bowl 40 as well as pushing down any toilet papernot already inside of the open sleeve valve 1.

The user then activates the flushing system by pushing a start button,or manually operating a lever or mechanical switch, or more preferably,for safety reasons, by closing the toilet lid 140. Activating by closingthe toilet lid prevents a person from putting their hand down into theopening 42 of the toilet 40 and into the opening 12 of the valve 1 as itis closing. Upon activation by closing the toilet lid 140, the power andcontrol systems 90 causes the sleeve valve 1 to close, by rotating theinner barrel 3 (to the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5), therebyisolating the waste W within the sleeve valve 1 (FIG. 18). Then theventing fan 76 is shut off, and the vent valve 74 is closed.

Once the valve 1 is closed, the fluid pump 62 is turned on to pumppigging fluid L from the fluid container 52 into the sanitary wastepiping 64, pushing the pipe pig 80 forward to pass through the closedsleeve valve and plunging the waste W and waste liquid ahead as the pig80 is pushed toward the final destination at the terminal end 68 of thepiping 64. When the presence of the pig 80 arriving at the terminal end68 is detected by the stop sensor 86, the pump 62 is shut off, stoppingthe pig 80 abruptly, and depositing the waste W into the section S ofthe sewer or septic tank, as shown in FIG. 19. Backflow of waste W intothe venting pipe 72 is prevented by the closed vent valve 74.

Upon controlled instruction, and as or after the vent valve 74 isopened, the discharge of the pump 62 can be reversed, or the pipingarrangement around the pump can be configured, to pump the pigging fluidL from the piping system 60 back into the fluid container 52. The pig 80is drawn backward under suction by the withdrawn pigging fluid L, whilefresh air is drawn through the vent valve 74 in behind the retreatingpig 80. The pig 80 travels in reverse back toward the pump 62 until itreaches the return sensor 88. Upon detecting the presence of the pig 80at the terminal end 88, the pump 62 is shut off, halting the movement ofthe pig 80 (FIG. 20). The sleeve valve 1 remains closed to complete theflushing and cleaning cycle, and is ready for the next use.

The sequence of flushing and cleaning operations can be controlled bysimple, common program logic controls. The system 50 can also be poweredthrough a battery system to enable limited use during relatively shortterm power outages. During power outages, the battery can be used atleast to open and close the sleeve valve 1. Alternatively the bowlcleaning system can also be run on battery power sufficient to move anywaste and associated odors down into the sleeve valve 1. The pump 62 canalso be configured be operate just sufficiently to move waste W out ofthe sleeve valve 1 and into the downstream piping 43.

A single waste management system 50 can handle multiple toiletspositioned at different locations and in the same area, such as in aseries. While a common fluid container and pumping system can be used,the pigging system can serve a series of plurality of toilets through amanifold system and automatic solenoid valves arranged on a the manifoldto supply pigging fluid to each toilet as needed. Depending on thecapacity and controls of the system, the multiple toilets can be flushedone at a time or in a sequence, or simultaneously. Depending upon thelocations and vicinity of the multiple toilets, each individual toiletand sleeve valve can include an individual pipe pig, pipe pig sensors,vent line, valve and fan.

In one embodiment of a multiple toilet system, a discharge pipe of thepigging fluid pump connects to a pigging fluid supply manifold to supplypigging fluid to, or remove pigging fluid from, any one of the multipletoilets, with pigging fluid flow being controlled by a separatesolenoid-controlled flow valve at outlet ports of the supply manifold.In another embodiment, each unique toilet and sleeve valve has adedicated piping to a union pipe fitting (a “Y” or “cleanout” fitting)to enable a common discharge piping for the remaining distance to thesewer system. In another embodiment, where only one pipe pig can bepushed at a time, either by the supply pump or through to the sharedsegment of the pipe running to the sewer system, the pigging cycles forthe multiple toilets can be sequence, which may result in a delay of thepigging of one of the toilets while another toilet is being pigged. Inthis circumstance, the controls can be configured to delay the piggingof a toilet, by completing the bowl cleaning step, closing the sleevevalve, and completing the pigging cycle when the pigging of the othertoilet is completed.

1.-8. (canceled)
 9. A method for discharging waste material from atoilet to a sewer system that involves the use of little or no water,the method comprising a flush cycle, the flush cycle including the stepsof: a) providing a toilet having a bowl, with an opening in the bottomof the bowl that opens into a side opening of a side-opening valve thatis selectively closable by a side entry valve; b) closing selectivelythe side opening of the side-opening valve after waste material has beendeposited, from the bowl of the toilet, into the side-opening valvethrough the closable side opening; c) providing a pigging system thatincludes a pressurized fluid system including a source of pressurizedpigging fluid contained within a fluid container, a supply piping influid communication with an upstream end of the side-opening valve, acylindrical pipe pig disposed in the supply piping, and, dischargepiping in fluid communication with a downstream end of the side-openingvalve and a discharge end into a sewer system; d) activating the piggingsystem to pass pressurized pigging fluid provided by a fluid pumpingassembly into the supply piping at a position upstream of the pipe pig,to push with the pressurized pigging fluid the pipe pig into theupstream end and out the downstream end of the side-opening valve, andthrough the discharge piping to discharge end, and stopping the pushingof the pipe pig at the discharge end, to push the waste material out ofthe side-opening valve and into the sewer system; and e) reversing thepigging system to withdraw pigging fluid from the supply piping, withthe stopped pipe pig in fluid communication with the supply piping, topull the pipe pig back through the discharge piping, back through theside-opening valve, and to the upstream position of the pipe pig;thereby discharging waste material from the toilet to the sewer systemwhile using little or no water.
 10. The waste disposal (should be“method”) system according to claim 9, wherein the side-opening valve isa sleeve valve.
 11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the closingof the side opening of the side-opening valve is in response to a stepof closing of a lid of the toilet after the depositing of the wastematerial.
 12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the activating ofthe pigging system is in response to a step of closing of a lid of thetoilet, or in response to activating a selectable switch.
 13. The methodaccording to claim 9, further including a step of venting of the openingin the bowl of the toilet by drawing air through the discharge piping.14. (canceled)
 15. (canceled)
 16. A waste disposal system including: i)at least one toilet including a bowl having a bottom outlet; ii) aside-opening waste valve including an inlet end, an outlet end, a sideopening, and a side entry valve in fluid communication with the bottomoutlet of the toilet and the side opening; iii) a fluid piping systemincluding a fluid container and a piping system including a first pipingsection providing fluid communication between the fluid container andthe inlet end of the side-opening waste valve, and a second pipingsection providing fluid communication between the outlet end of theside-opening waste valve and a discharge end; iv) a fluid pumpingassembly for pumping a fluid between the fluid container and the fluidpiping system; and v) a cylindrical pipe pig disposed within the firstpiping section, and configured to pass through the first piping section,the side-opening waste valve, and the second piping section, for pushinga waste material, which has been deposited into the side-opening wastevalve from the bowl of the toilet through the side entry valve and theside opening, to a sewage system through the discharge end. 17.(canceled)
 18. The waste disposal system according to claim 16, furtherincluding a vent system including a vent pipe disposed proximate thedischarge end of the second piping section, and a vent valve disposed inthe vent pipe that is moveable between an open position and a closedposition, for venting the fluid piping system.
 19. The waste disposalsystem according to claim 18, further including a fan or blower in fluidcommunication with the vent pipe, that draws air into the system at thetoilet and out through the vent pipe.
 20. The waste disposal systemaccording to claim 16, further including a bowl cleaning system thatincludes one or more spray nozzles positioned at the top of the insideof the bowl, and configured to dispense water or other aqueous solutiononto the sidewalls and bottom of the bowl.
 21. The waste disposal systemaccording to claim 16, wherein the side-opening waste valve is aside-opening sleeve valve including: a) an inner cylindrical barrelhaving a cylindrical wall and a shaped opening through the wall, b) anouter cylindrical barrel having a cylindrical wall and a shaped openingthrough the wall, where the inner barrel disposed co-annularly, androtatably, within the outer barrel, and c) a means for rotating theinner barrel relative to the outer barrel between a first open positionwhere the shaped opening in the inner barrel overlaps with the shapedopening in the outer barrel to form a side opening into the sleevevalve, and a second closed position where the shaped opening of theinner barrel and the shaped opening of the outer barrel do not overlap.22. The waste disposal system according to claim 21, wherein the axialdimension of the shaped openings are parallel with a center axis of thesleeve valve.
 23. The waste disposal system according to claim 21,wherein the arc length of the shaped opening of the inner barrel is lessthan 180 degrees of the circumference of the inner barrel.
 24. The wastedisposal system according to claim 21, wherein an inlet end and anoutlet end of the outer barrel are configured for connection in fluidcommunication with the first piping section and the second pipingsection, respectively.
 25. The waste disposal system according to claim21, further including an annular seal ring at both the inlet ends andthe outlet ends of the outer barrel, disposed between an outside surfaceof the inner barrel and an inner surface of the outer barrel.
 26. Thewaste disposal system according to claim 21, further including sleeveseal layer disposed between the wall of the inner barrel and the wall ofthe outer barrel, sleeve seal layer comprising a cylindrical sheethaving an opening that registers with at least one of the opening of theinner barrel and the opening of the outer barrel, to seal between theinner and outer barrels at the periphery of the shaped opening in theouter barrel.
 27. The waste disposal system according to claim 26,wherein the outer barrel has a groove formed into the inside surface,and the sleeve seal layer is disposed within said groove.
 28. The wastedisposal system according to claim 21, wherein an inlet end and anoutlet end of the inner barrel are configured for connection in fluidcommunication with an upstream pipe and a downstream pipe, respectively.29. The waste disposal system according to claim 16, wherein theside-opening waste valve comprises a pipe section comprising an inletpipe end, an outlet pipe end, and a side port, and a flow valveconnecting the bottom outlet of the toilet to the side entry port. 30.The waste disposal system according to claim 16, wherein theside-opening waste valve is a side-opening sleeve valve including: d) aninner cylindrical barrel having a cylindrical wall and a shaped openingthrough the wall, e) an outer cylindrical barrel having a cylindricalwall and a shaped opening through the wall, where the inner barreldisposed co-annularly, and slidably, within the outer barrel, and f) ameans for sliding the inner barrel relative to the outer barrel betweena first open position where the shaped opening in the inner barreloverlaps with the shaped opening in the outer barrel to form a sideopening into the sleeve valve, and a second closed position where theshaped opening of the inner barrel and the shaped opening of the outerbarrel do not overlap.
 31. The waste disposal system according to claim16, wherein bottom outlet of the bowl of the at least one toilet isaligned with the side opening of the side-opening waste valve.